Two scouts side with Bobby V. on Iglesias, Lavarnway, Bard debates

The dynamic of new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine and the team's front office should be one of the more interesting storylines of the season, and they already are in debate over three key issue, with outside scouts saying Valentine has some god points.

The soap opera is already starting in Red Sox camp. Love it.

New manager Bobby Valentine and the Red Sox front office are in disagreement over three important questions, as Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reported, with Valentine looking to go against the original club plan in all three cases. And two scouts from competing teams are siding with Valentine -- though, it's highly unlikely he wins a majority of these debates.

Valentine is said to favor top prospect Jose Iglesias for starting shortstop, catcher Ryan Lavarnway for a roster spot and Daniel Bard back in the bullpen. One A.L. scout, who's been following the team all spring, said Valentine is correct on Iglesias and Bard, at least, and maybe on Lavarnway, too (though he doesn't see Valentine having a real chance of winning that one).

That scout said there's no question in his mind Iglesias should be the starter at shortstop over journeyman Mike Aviles, who's the front office choice. The scout favors Iglesias despite Iglesias' meager .235 batting average at Triple-A last year and .174 average so far this spring.

"He looks much better at bat than he did last year,'' the scout said of Iglesias. "The important thing is, he's going to make all the plays at shortstop. He'll bat ninth so that doesn't matter so much.''

That scout has said all along that Bard should be in the pen. "He's a thrower not a pitcher,'' the scout said. Bard was given the original commitment, so it may be hard for the Red Sox not to give him a chance to begin the season as a starter. The other candidates for the rotation are Felix Doubront, Aaron Cook and Alfredo Aceves, as Vicente Padilla will apparently go to the bullpen as a long man.

Though the scout said he likes Lavarnway very much, he wouldn't blame the Red Sox for sending him down so he can catch every day. The Red Sox have committed to Jarrod Saltalamacchia as the starter, so the scout says he wouldn't want Lavarnway sitting on the bench in the majors and can see career backup Kelly Shoppach as the backup.

Yet another scout said Valentine is right on all three counts. But it will be interesting to see who wins these debates. The dynamic between Valentine and the Red Sox front office will be one of the most intriguing storylines of the season. GM Ben Cherington selected Valentine after a bit of a nudge from club president Larry Lucchino, owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner.

The vote here would be to move Bard to the pen, send Iglesias to the minors and put Lavarnway on the team to get significant time behind Saltalamacchia.